A Test of Fate: Revive
by Kazoot
Summary: The world is spiraling into darkness. A lone Snivy goes out to search for answers. However, he'll need to learn to trust other Pokemon if he wants to change the fate that ties them all together. (Rewrite of my first story, A Test of Fate. Takes place in the world of "Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity.")
1. Overture

**Hello. For those that are new here, this is a rewrite of my story _Test of Fate_. Don't worry, you don't need to read that in order to understand this.  
** **For anyone else curious, please see my profile for future plans.**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

I pushed the wooden door open. The cafe was quiet. Empty. A wooden counter stood in the center, with leather stools lined up along it. Wooden tables and chairs with cushions sat on the sides of the room. I slowly stepped in, my black cloak trailing behind me. I lowered my hood as I climbed up on the stool. No one was tending the counter. Hmph. I could see a door in the back. Presumably, it was only for whoever worked here. Guess I'll just wait until someone comes out. Don't want them to think I'm some kind of annoying Snivy.

My name is Strom. For reasons I didn't understand, the world was a gloomy and dark place. The atmosphere held a deep smog of despair that squeezed in your lungs when you breathed. It held a pressure that you could feel just by stepping outside. And it made all the Pokemon in the world fall into this... depression. Well, I guess I can only say that's how it felt in town. I have no clue how the Pokemon living beyond in the forests and sea felt. But this despair... it made everyone hide. Hide from a darkness that wasn't there. And if they weren't hiding, they were out trying to take advantage of the weak. Whatever was going on in this _air_ , it certainly did a number screwing up our lives. For me, however, I didn't have any problems.

I was raised in one of the great forests, brought up by my parents, both Serperiors. As I grew older, I began to wonder more about what was happening on the outside. I didn't want to spend my whole life secluded from everything else. Surely, I had a greater purpose in life than to be caged up in isolation, right? When I turned thirteen years old, I told my parents I wanted to go out on my own. Being stuck in the woods all my life wasn't very fulfilling. "We were all created with a purpose! I want to know what mine is." I remember saying that to them. My mother didn't want me to go, warning me about the dangers that lie outside. But my father heavily considered the thought. To my knowledge, he had done a bit of adventuring when he was younger, too. But he never told me any stories about his past... After a few days of thinking, my father decided it would be best for me to see the outside world myself. My mother was hesitant to change her mind, but knew that it would be better for me to go than to stay coddled in their protection. On the day I finally left, they kept telling me to trust no one, to keep to myself, and that no matter what,

 _"Don't mess with fate."_

I didn't understand what they meant by that. "Fate?" Is it fate that put our world into this position? Would going against fate bring about unknown dangers? I wouldn't know unless I tried. But what was I going to do? I'm just a Snivy, no different from the other Pokemon. I drifted in the waves of despair with everyone else, getting attacked, robbed, and being lied to. What was going on with our world? Why were the Legends not doing anything? Did Arceus himself not understand the risk here? I shook my head.

The back door finally creaked open. A Spinda, with its orange spotted body, and comically large, swirly eyes stepped out. She stopped when she saw me.

"Oh shoot!" She walked up to me, standing on the other side of the counter. "How long ya' been sittin' here for?"

"Don't worry. It hasn't been that long," I replied.

"Well next time, yer' free to holler when no one's around." I nodded in response. "So then... what can I getcha'?"

"Just some tea, please."

"That'll be a hundred Poké." I reached into my pockets. I sighed at what little money I had left. 500 Poké wasn't going to get me very far. Well, 400 now... I stared at the money in my hand. Is buying this tea a good use of my money? "You uh... you got enough there?" the Spinda asked.

"Oh, sorry. Here," I somewhat begrudgingly handed the money over. The Spinda took it, but stared at me for a moment.

"Ya' sure yer' okay spendin' this?"

"Tch... I'd have more if..." I stopped and shook my head. "It's okay. I'll be fine."

"Whatever ya' say, kid..."

 _Kid_ , huh? Yeah... I guess I still am a kid. You'd also think that stealing from a kid is wrong, too. But that certainly didn't stop _them_.

Ironically, this incident happen just on the outskirts of this town. A little Zorua ran up to me, crying in hysterics. Naturally, he grabbed my attention, and I ran over to help. He told me about his brother being injured by some other Pokemon. A very likely tale considering the kinds of events that do occasionally happen out here. I followed him to his brother, which was a little ways off the beaten path. The Zorua's brother was slumped up against a tree. Sure enough, he had many apparent scratches and cuts all over his body. I leaned closer and tried talking to him while examining his wounds. He didn't respond to me, which wasn't a good sign. But as I looked closer... The wounds. They were fake. As soon as I realized this, I turned around. The Zorua who lead me here sprinted away, laughing maniacally. I can still hear his voice, calling me a "dumbass" as he ran off. I turned around, and his brother was running off in the other direction. So much for being hurt. I put my hands in my pockets. That's when I realized most of my money had been stolen. Pick-pocketed. Of course.

I put my hands on my face in disbelief. How could I have been so stupid? Guess that's what I get for trying to be nice. But like I said, I wasn't the only one getting thrown into bad situations like that. Everyone was. I'd hear stories all the time as I drifted through each town. And I can't understand how or why it's happening. I thought about the Legends again. How could they let this happen? How could trust and hope be shattered across all of us like this? Something's going on. Something _greater_ , possibly even out of my control. But I want to know what it is. Why is our world like this? I want an answer. Even if it means going against my fate.

The Spinda stepped back out, carrying a small plate with a cup of tea on it. She placed it down in front of me.

"Here ya' go."

"Thank you." I gently picked up the cup and gazed into it. My red eyes stared back in the faint reflection. They were tired. _I_ was tired. I took a sip. Despite the bitter taste, the warmth of the tea made me relax a bit. I needed this. The Spinda began polishing dishes off on the side. Yet, she still tried making small talk.

"So, I take it yer' a traveler? Where ya' headin' to?" she asked. I stared into the tea.

"Hm... I don't really know."

"What?" she glanced over at me. "What da' ya' mean ya' don't know?" I stayed silent. I wasn't exactly sure how to tell someone I'm searching for something that may be beyond us. "Hm... well, wherever yer' goin', may yer' fate lead ya' down a safe path."

"My fate...?"

"Yeah. Ya' know, like... the destiny Arceus set up fer' you."

"The one Arceus set? So you're telling me Arceus set our fates to be thrown into this nightmare of a world we're in?"

The Spinda gave me an intrigued look. "Yer' quite the curious type, aren't ya'?"

"Hm. I just want answers. Doesn't it bother you that no one has been able to figure out what's wrong? Why did the Legends let out world fall apart? Why haven't they done anything to fix it?"

"Well, I don't know what kind of response yer' lookin' to get from a lil' ole' Spinda. I ain't got the answers fer' ya'. I'm busy enough as it is tryin' to take care of my place. But you look like ya' know what yer' talkin' about. Maybe you'll find yer' answer from someone else."

I stared back into my tea. She was right. I'm not going to get anywhere just sitting here. I need to keep searching. Hopefully, someone will have the answer.

I got off the stool once I finished my tea.

"Thank you," I nodded to the Spinda. She gave a slight smirk.

"Thanks for comin' by. And hey, let me know if you learn anythin', too. I'd also like to know what the heck's goin' on out there."

"We'll see..." I replied.

The sky was filled with dull, gray clouds. The town was quiet, few Pokemon walked about. We all exchanged looks of suspicion with one another, like usual. But I was leaving this town, so it didn't matter.

I wrapped my cloak around me. It fits comfortably around my body and over my head. I also adjusted my sword that was kept by my side... It is somewhat unheard of for a Pokemon to fight with a weapon. (I'm surprised the Spinda didn't say anything about it.) But I had gotten the sword from my father. Before I left, he told me the world was a dangerous place, so I should take his sword. He didn't say anything about where he got it, or why he even had it in the first place. I accepted it, though. If my father had it, that must mean there was some significance to it. But with that said, I still don't exactly know how to fight with it. I have some combat experience, but I didn't use my sword for most fights. No one else fights with a weapon, either. How am I going to ever learn to properly wield the sword? Hm... The sword was very smooth on both sides, and formed a triangular shape near the tip. The blade was about as thin as a piece of paper. The whole sword was a bland silver color, with a black hilt. The only interesting thing about it was the weird insignia engraved around the base of the blade. It looked like an arrow facing left, with a zig-zag going through it. I don't know what it means, so all I can do for now is ignore it.

"I have everything. Better get going..."


	2. Encounter

As I walked along this dirt path a giant tree appeared up ahead which split the path in two. It's huge roots gnarled through the ground, and its twisted branches were covered with millions of brown leaves. At the intersection, there was a small wooden sign. It read, "Post Town," pointing left, and "Paradise," pointing right. What the hell? _Paradise_? That's gotta be some kind of joke... or maybe a really bad attempt at a trap. Whatever. I headed down the left path towards Post Town. Wait. What if someone switched the signs around...? I guess I'll find out soon.

I had only gone a few feet before I heard something rustling nearby. It came from the tree. I looked up at its branches. Tiny silhouettes of Pokemon could be seen hopping in the branches. I counted four of them. I carefully placed my hand on my sword's handle, and continued walking as if I hadn't noticed. They could be thieves... I kept my eye on them as I took careful steps down the path. I could faintly hear them talk to each other.

"Are you sure it's all the way up _here_?"

"It's gotta be. I don't know where else I..."

"This is quite dangerous. I advise we slow down."

"Sig's got a point. We need to slow down!"

"But what if someone else finds it? I can't leave it out in the open!"

They kept talking. It sounds like they're busy doing something else. So, I guess I'll be safe if I just continue walking along the path. But I'm still keeping my eye on them. They could be up to something. I slowly shuffled along, watching them hop between the rather large branches to this tree. The leaves kept me from identifying which Pokemon they were. I hope I can handle them if things turn bad.

There was a sharp left turn further down the path. At the corner, I could see some of the tree's bare branches hung quite a ways out over the edge of a cliff. The edge was in a "U" shape. It looked like a pretty big drop. I know I wouldn't survive it... Straight across, the other path to that "Paradise" was visible. While there was a big drop, I'm sure I could jump across this gap to the other side just fine. Suddenly, the Pokemon hopped out across the set of branches above. Now I could see them! An Eevee, an Oshawott, a Chimchar, and a Mienfoo... What are they doing up there?

"Okay, Celeste. It's _clearly_ not going to be out over here..." said the Chimchar.

"But this is the only place we haven't looked!" The Eevee hastily ran along the branches.

"Celeste! Watch yourself!" The Mienfoo reached towards the Eevee. "These branches are fragile out this far! They might break!" The Eevee seemed to ignore him. But he's right. Those look like they might-

 _SNAP!_

"Ah!"

"Celeste!"

Oh crap! Instinctively, I dashed towards the edge and leaped into the air. _What the hell am I thinking!?_ I caught the Eevee in my left arm, but her weight caused me to lose speed mid-flight. I started falling! I wasn't going to make it!

My body slammed right into the edge. I tried digging my leafy hand into the ground as I started sliding back, but I couldn't get a grip! I sprouted my vines off my back to try and reach out for something to hang on to, but there was nothing to grab. I slowly slid down the ledge. Only my right hand could hold us, but I knew I was slipping. In the panic, I glanced down. Big mistake. My heart froze. I almost let go of the Eevee. The drop was terrifying! I struggled to lift the Eevee and I up, but no matter how hard I pulled I couldn't lift us.

Oh no! I'm going to fall! I'm going to _die_! But I felt the Eevee scramble out of my arms.

"Excuse me-" She got her footing against the wall and hopped up out of my arm. It was much easier to hang on now without holding her. But then she put her foot on my head. "Hang on!" she warned. What the hell is she- Gah! She kicked off my head to get herself up, but the force pushed me back- I lost my grip and let go! My mind succumbed to paralysis. _Now_ I'm going to die! I shut my eyes tightly. But something grabbed my hand.

"Gotcha!"

The Eevee had reached out and grabbed my hand with both of her paws. Behind her, the Mienfoo was also holding onto her. I don't know how he made it down from the tree so quickly, but a huge relief swept my body. They slowly lifted me back up to safety, where I could finally relax. I fell on my hands, breathing heavily. Phew... I crawled a good few feet away from the edge, and sat up. I let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Damn, that was close..." I adjusted my cloak back over my head.

"Thank you!" The Eevee quickly stuck her face in front of mine, causing me to jump back. "If you hadn't shown up, that would've been very tragic!" she smiled at me. Did she... say _thank you_? I gave her a confused look. Why the hell is she smiling at me? I can't remember the last time I was praised, let alone for saving someone. Then again, why _did_ I save her? Guess I'm still too nice to other Pokemon. Wait, how do I even know if she's being sincere?

Hmph. All that matters is we lived. I don't need her praise.

"Yeah... whatever," I responded. I stood up and adjusted my cloak and sword. Guess I'm all done here.


	3. Trust

"W-Wait!" The Eevee stopped me from walking off. I turned towards her. The other three Pokemon stood behind her. I guess they're all friends. It must be nice to know a few Pokemon that you can trust...

"That's it? You're just going to walk away after saving someone's life?" She said it casually, with a smile. Weird. I didn't say anything to her. "Well then, I want to ask, who are you exactly?"

Strange... For once, a Pokémon was interested in who I was? No... Something's wrong here. She's being _too_ friendly. I folded my arms.

"Why does it matter to you who I am? Isn't this the part where I turn my back and you all rob me?" The Eevee tilted her head at me.

"What are you talking about? You saved my life! Why would we rob you? I just want to know your name, really!" If this Eevee was trying to trick me into something, she was doing a really bad job of it. Still... I don't think she intentionally fell from that tree. Maybe she was being sincere. "Oh! I guess it's impolite for me to not introduce myself first." She really _is_ being friendly. "My name's Celeste. Thank you very much for saving me!" I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell them my name.

"The name's Strom..."

"Strom!" Celeste's eyes lit up. "Thank you again!" she repeated herself. I started to get annoyed. "I should probably introduce the rest of us..." I really didn't care, but before I could tell her that, she started going off.

"This here is Brazen!" Celeste raised a paw to the Chimchar. Brazen held a very weak smile across his face. Orange fur padded his arms, legs, and head. A small fire was blazing from where a tail would be. He rubbed the back of his head.

"Celeste, I don't really think this is necessary..." He seemed very shy. If I had to guess, he's probably not that much of a fighter.

"And this is Wayde!" Celeste pointed to the Oshawott. The otter-like Pokemon gave a more gentle smile than Brazen.

"I know Celeste already said it, but really, thank you for saving her. I'm not really sure what we'd do if..." he paused. "Well, let's not think about that." Wayde had purple eyes, which is rather strange for an Oshawott. The scalchop on his belly was a pale yellow, but it looked rather sharp. A convenient spot to carry a weapon. He seemed a lot more relaxed and open than Brazen. Probably a better fighter too, but that's just a guess.

"And finally, we have Siegfried!" Celeste pointed to the Mienfoo. Siegfried... interesting name. He bowed his head to me.

"Thank you for saving Celeste," he said. His face held a stern expression, as if he wasn't afraid of anything. His fur was pinkish around his arms and legs. The rest of his body was covered in yellow fur. "I apologize for troubling you in our matters. But we are grateful for your help." He doesn't seem to show a lot of emotion, but he speaks very properly. It's kinda hard to make out what kind of Pokemon he is. Considering it was Celeste and him that saved me from falling, I'd say he's got a lot of courage. It'd be fair to assume he's the best fighter of the bunch.

Admittedly, with Celeste introducing everyone, they all seemed friendly enough. Celeste turned back towards me.

"And now with introductions out of the way, I can tell you..." she paused. Was she trying to give this a dramatic effect? "We are-" she held out her arms. "Rescue Team, PokeHeroes!"

"Y-You don't need to be so dramatic about it..." Brazen spoke up. Wayde seemed to glance away. Siegfried folded his arms. I guess they didn't share her enthusiasm.

PokeHeroes? That's... a rather childish name. And they don't look much like heroes. Still, a rescue team, huh?

"Where's your badge?" I asked. Celeste's ears perked up.

"Huh?" She seems surprised by the question.

"If you're a rescue team, don't they give you a badge to signify it? Show me yours."

"W-Well, you see..." Celeste gave an awkward and nervous laugh before drooping her ears. She let out a sigh. "To be honest, we're not an _official_ rescue team..." So, she lied? Her ears perked back up. "At least, not yet! We may not have our badges, but we've been helping Pokemon ever since we built our Paradise!" Paradise? Is she referring to...?

"Wait... You mean that sign back there-"

"Yep!" Celeste nodded. "We built a Paradise. A place where no Pokemon has to fear being trapped in this world... I'm sure you know what it's like. Paradise is completely free from that. No fear! No darkness! A place where we can all be happy, like how it once was! And as a rescue team, we're always looking to help those even outside of Paradise!"

I had a lot of doubt now... No. I don't believe them at all. It's already pretty suspicious that they don't even have rescue team badges. And after I've been traveling for years, I'm hearing about a place like this _now_? That doesn't seem right at all. It's not possible for such a thing to exist. I stared daggers back. Celeste gave a surprised look and stepped back.

"I don't know what you're planning, but I'm no fool. You can keep this _Paradise_. I'll be on my way." Celeste frowned. As I turned around, the other three glared at me.

"I... didn't think the despair would've taken a nice Pokemon like you." Celeste tried to grab my attention. I kept walking.

"Wait a second." It was Siegfried's voice. I still didn't turn around. "Is that... a sword?"

I stopped.

"Oh hey, you're right! I didn't even notice it behind that cloak," Wayde commented.

"Does it matter to you if I have a sword?" I asked.

"It's just... odd for a Pokemon to fight with one," Wayde replied.

"Hmph." I started walking off again. They don't need to know- Hm!? Celeste quickly ran around in front of me. What's she planning? I spread my legs and got in a battle stance. But she calmly sat down.

"Strom listen... I just... want you to come to our Paradise," she spoke softly.

"And how am I supposed to trust you? You don't have a rescue team badge, and you think some crude sign that points to this _Paradise_ is supposed to make me believe you?"

"Hey, Celeste," Brazen spoke. "I don't know what you're seeing in this guy, but maybe we should just leave him alone? N-No offense, Strom!" I didn't care. I was really annoyed by this point. I just wanted to leave. I continued staring down Celeste. But she didn't look like she was giving any sign of attacking. In fact, she looked like she was getting ready to cry. I almost felt bad. But I didn't understand what she wanted from me. And it's not like the other three were doing anything. It was just Celeste acting this way.

"Strom! Please come back to our Paradise!" she cried. "Let me... repay you for saving me!" her ears perked up. Why is she so damn persistent? "I can even offer you a place to stay, if you need it." Okay, now I know this is a trap. No Pokemon would act this generous to me. I drew my sword out.

"I'm not falling for you lies! Get out of my way!"

"Hey!"

"Wait a second!"

I glanced back and saw Wayde and Brazen walk towards me. They looked like they were ready to pounce me at any moment.

"Don't be foolish!" Siegfried stepped in front of the two of them. "We're not here to make an enemy! Fighting would only make things worse!" At least one of them has a brain. I looked towards Celeste. She still didn't give any sign of hostility. I lowered my sword.

"Strom... I know it's hard to imagine such a thing," Celeste glanced towards the ground. "Believe me, I know the feeling. When it seems like everything is hopeless, and you'd rather just drown in sorrow and let everyone else leave you alone. But..." she looked back up. "I solemnly promise that I am _not_ your enemy. I rarely come across a Pokemon who would risk their own life to save mine. I... just want to be your friend."

A _friend_? Are you kidding me!? She must really think I'm stupid. Well... I could at least tell she wasn't going to fight. I raised my sword to put it back in its sheathe. "I'm sorry, but I still don't-"

"Gotcha~." A devilish smirk crossed Celeste's face. Within a blank of an eye, she appeared right in front of me. Before I could make any reaction, she leaped forward. Her paws landed on my chest. She then leaped off me, tearing my sword out of my hand with her mouth in the process. As I stumbled back, falling on the ground, I looked up and saw her dash down the path into the forest. Her friends all gave a confused and shocked expression.

"Did... Did she just...!?"

"What the heck is she thinking?"

"Agh!" I growled. What the hell!? I quickly stood up and started sprinting after Celeste, darting past the other three. Why did she take my sword? She can't even use it! Of course. Another all too familiar situation I've fallen victim to. Helping someone in need, only to be robbed from them a second later. Hmph. I can't afford to lose that sword, though.

My feet continued to kick off the ground as I chased after Celeste. Rows of trees and bushes lined alongside the path we ran down. All other details were oblivious to me because I was focused on getting my sword. Normally, I don't chase after those who steal from me because it's never much to worry about, but my sword was a different story. It's the only thing I have in this miserable world to remind me of my family... I don't care what happens. I need to get it back.

I'm just noticing, she's running pretty fast, even with a sword in her mouth. The sword isn't really that heavy, but still. Guess she has to have some special ability in running away. I'm not surprised.

Eventually, I managed to catch up to Celeste. I was only a few feet away. I held out my hand in hopes of grabbing her. Just when I could barely touch her tail, she looked over her shoulder, gave me a wink, and suddenly took off ahead of me! She did this again and again, as if to tease me. I grew more frustrated each time.

Then, Celeste just suddenly stopped in place. I ended up running right by her, but managed to turn around and leap towards her. She casually stepped out of the way and dodged me. Gah, how annoying.

"Give me my sword, dammit!" I shouted to her. As if by command, she gently lowered her head and dropped my sword on the ground.

"Here you go!" she said with a small smile.

W-What? I was dumbfounded. Why...? Ugh! I picked up my sword and held the blade towards her. She didn't seem fazed by it at all.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't cut you right now."

"Because-!" Celeste raised her arms up. "We're in Paradise!" It was then that I stopped to look at our surroundings.

Behind us was a large, red archway, signifying some kind of entrance. The dirt path we had been running on faded into the forest beyond it. Out in front of us was a large open field, the grass shining a dark shade of green under the cloudy sky. Towards the center of the field, a large, round, wooden house stood. It was smoothed out, and had round glass windows. A neat pile of hay and straw formed the roof. Around that house appeared to be a variety of stalls set up, like some kind of marketplace. Over to the left and right of us were two other areas with giant waterfalls streaming down them. Watermills were constructed near the edges. Meanwhile, a few types of Pokemon were walking around to their leisure. I noticed they all had one thing in common. They were all... happy.

It was... strange. I can't recall the last time I had been in such a peaceful atmosphere. The wind blew gently. The grass and trees swayed. The sound of casual chatter accompanied the ambiance. It was... nice. It's a shame the sun wasn't shining. This calming atmosphere made me relax. I felt as if I had just returned home after a long journey. Celeste was telling the truth. A place where there seemed to be no darkness, nothing to worry about... I'll admit, I was in awe of this Paradise. Celeste seemed to notice.

"Told you you'd like it," she gave a sly smirk.

"Hmph." I turned my head away. "That doesn't change the fact you stole my sword and ran off with it."

"Oh! Relax! I only did it because I _knew_ you wouldn't come to Paradise. And if you didn't chase me down, I would've returned it." She gave me a wink. It annoyed me, but I knew she was being sincere. I mean, she willingly gave my sword back.

"So then... why did you bring me out here?" Celeste flinched at the question, as if she wasn't expecting it. "Why did you go through so much trouble just to show _me_ this place? It could've been any other Pokemon." Her eyes glanced down at the ground.

"I um..." Celeste began to fidget in place. "It's because... you see, I-"

"Celeste!" Someone called her name. We both looked out back into the forest. It was Brazen. He ran up to Celeste.

"What is it, Brazen?"

"It's... hah..." He was panting heavily. Probably from running all the way over here. "It's that... Charizard again!" Celeste's eyes widened. She froze. Brazen paused for a moment to catch his breath. "That Emolga from Post Town told us he came back, and he's terrorizing everyone again! Siegfried and Wayde already went ahead to try and slow him down, but..." Brazen glanced at the ground, "They won't be able to do much without us."

This Charizard he spoke about didn't sound good. I take it this isn't the first time they've fought him, either. But I guess I'm glad I ended up running into PokeHeroes, otherwise I'd probably be the one fighting that dragon by now. From the sound of it, this isn't the first time he's been here. And Celeste... was silent. She looked pale. Charizard can be a pretty scary Pokemon. Brazen put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"Celeste, I know that you have a bad history with a Charizard, but... we really need to prepare! We are a rescue team after all!" Despite Brazen's optimism, she stayed motionless. She was petrified. So she's scared of Charizards? That's not good. But then she looked over at me. There was a sudden spark in her eyes.

"Strom!" She ran up to me, eyes wide. "I... I hate to do this but... could you please help us?" It's ironic that she put me through all that deception, only to then turn around and ask for my help.

"What? You really think this guy is going to say yes after dragging him over here?" Even Brazen knew it was dumb to ask. Yet... I sighed. A part of me really wants to say no. But she did show me that she was being truthful about herself and her rescue team. I folded my arms.

"Alright. I guess I'll help." Celeste gave me a surprised smile. "But if things get bad, then I'm getting out of here." I really shouldn't be risking myself for them since they've done nothing for me. Yet, I felt I couldn't say no. Not to Celeste, at least. Upon hearing my answer, she suddenly hopped on my shoulders and shined a bright smile.

"Thank you, Strom!" My face felt hot. I could feel my heart beat faster. W-What? Why am I...? Ack! I stepped away from her.

"Shouldn't we be getting ready!?" I said in an annoyed tone.

"Yes! Of course! Follow me!" The three of us entered the wooden house in the center of the field.


	4. A Glimpse of Hope

We entered the wooden building, the main base of operations for the rescue team I assumed. Inside wasn't anything fancy. A giant map was posted on the back wall. A large, round, wooden table sat in the center on top of a red, round rug. Piles of straw and hay made up the beds over in the back corners. A few cabinets and wooden drawers sat along the sides of the room, with cloth sacks leaning against them. The sacks were probably filled with food and other materials. Celeste and Brazen headed over to the supplies on the right side of the room.

"Do we have any reviver seeds left?" Celeste asked. Brazen opened a drawer and began rummaging through it.

"I'm afraid we used them all up from the last job we took," Brazen shook his head. "Those Beedrill were a real pain."

"Oh yeah, I remember now..." Celeste shuddered. She looked over at me. "I'm sorry I... can't give you a way out in case things do get bad."

I held my hand up. "It's fine. I haven't used a reviver seed before. I'll be fine without it. Is there anything else you guys have that could help?"

"Hm..." Brazen kept searching. "The only thing we have that could really help us is some Rawst berries, in case we're burned."

"That's it!? Any Oran berries?" I asked. Brazen gave a sigh.

"All out of those, too..." He shut the drawer.

"Wow. We're really screwed then," I commented. Celeste and Brazen both drooped their heads. They knew this was going to be difficult, too. "Well, can you tell me anything else about this Charizard?" Celeste looked up at me.

"He calls himself, Crimson. He's been a wanted Pokemon for a while. Shortly after posters of him went up in Post Town, that's when he showed up here. He began robbing and terrorizing everyone in the area. We... really weren't ready to take him on." Celeste stood up straight. "But being the only rescue team in the area, it's our duty to stop him! We _have_ to stop him!" She put her paw to her chest, but her eyes widened and she looked down, as if she was trying to grab something that wasn't there. "I can't let another Charizard bring harm to this world..." she spoke softly. I almost didn't hear that last sentence.

"Isn't there some kind of police force around here, though?" I asked.

"The closest police station is next town over," Brazen replied. "If we contacted them, Crimson could fly away before they arrive."

"Man, what a pain in the ass..." I can see why Celeste asked me for help. This Charizard was way too much for them to handle. They were just looking for any help they could get. I don't know if I'd be much help though, with me being a grass type. If all four members of this team couldn't handle him, then what could I accomplish? Hmph.

"So, what's the plan, then?" I asked.

The two of them stared back at me.

…

"You're kidding me." I threw my hand over my face in disbelief. We walked in here just for supplies?

Celeste gave an awkward laugh and rubbed the back of her head. "W-Well, usually Wayde's the one who comes up with our plans! He's a pretty good strategist!"

"Hm... I guess it makes sense that he went with Siegfried then."

"So, the plan is to meet up with Siegfried and Wayde."

"We should probably get going now, then," Brazen chimed in.

"Sounds good!" Celeste agreed.

"But they're all the way in Post Town, right?" I folded my arms. "That's quite a ways away from here."

"That's why we need to move now!" Celeste hurried to the door. "C'mon!" Brazen and I followed her.

Again, I questioned why I decided to help these guys out. This really wasn't looking like a good fight. There's a very small chance of us winning, let alone getting away with our lives. Heck, we're still just kids. How did they end up in a spot like this? I guess I'll just have to do my best to help. But if I have to run away, then I will. This was never my problem.

* * *

Brazen and I stepped outside to the sight of Celeste waving to us. She stood in front of the giant red archway at the entrance. As Brazen and I took a step towards her, I noticed something in the sky. I put my arm up and stopped Brazen.

"Hm? What are you-?"

"Shh. Hang on..." A silhouette was flying towards us in the air. It was moving at a fairly fast pace. I could see two wings flapping along side the figure.. I realize now-!

"Celeste! Quick! Get back over here?" I shouted to her. She tilted her head at me in response, and began to casually walk back. What the hell is she doing!? I looked up and saw that the figure had reached us, and I was right! It was a Crimson! "You idiot! Move!" I shouted again. Celeste looked up, and noticed the giant dragon was beginning to dive towards her. Dammit! I don't have enough time to help! Just as Crimson was about to grab her, Celeste dashed out of the way, thanks to her incredible speed. She leaped over back towards Brazen and me.

"How the heck did he get here so quickly? And _w_ _hy_ is he even here!?" Brazen panicked.

"I-I'm not sure..." Celeste began trembling. I drew my sword out from its sheath.

The orange dragon stood tall, with his blue-green wings stretched out, and his long neck giving him a nice view to look down on us. His blue, narrow eyes held a piercing gaze, but I held my ground. A small scar was visible along his snout. He held an irritated look on his face. Despite his intimidating appearance, it was what was in his hands that made my eyes widen. In each hand he held Siegfried and Wayde. They both appeared to be covered in scratches and burns.

"Wayde! Siegfried!" Celeste called to both of them. They didn't respond.

"I don't understand why you keep trying to fight me," Crimson replied. He sounded annoyed. "You're all just a bunch of baby Pokemon. Hmph. And you call yourselves a rescue team? Please..."

"L-Let go of Wayde and Siegfried!" Celeste demanded. Although, I could tell she was still scared of Crimson.

"Fine. I didn't want them to begin with." Crimson raised his arms. Is he-!? He hurled Siegfried's and Wayde's bodies at us! I ducked to my left, barely dodging them. I heard a loud thud, and looked over at where they landed. Celeste managed to move out of the way, too. But... Brazen got hit by both of them. Guess he wasn't fast enough. All three of them were piled together. Celeste and I ran over to them.

"Oh no! Are you guys okay?" Celeste worried. Brazen grunted in pain. He couldn't move. Wayde made no response. Siegfried slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her.

"Celeste..." he paused. "I'm sorry. We... failed." As if Celeste wasn't already losing her confidence, Crimson's voiced roared from behind.

"Don't you get it!? You're all _weak!_ What are you even trying to prove by being a rescue team? Hmph," he folded his arms and gave a small smirk. "Maybe I should destroy this _paradise_ of yours to really teach you a lesson." I noticed Celeste lower her head. She was on the verge of tears. Again, she grabbed for something at her chest, but formed a fist when she didn't find anything. Was she missing something? Then her gaze slowly rolled over to me. That's when I noticed it. Hope. A spark of hope shined in her eyes when she looked at me. But... why? What did I do? She knows nothing about me besides wielding a sword. Yet, there was something about that spark she had. It gave me a little bit of confidence, I think. She wiped at her eyes really quickly and gave me a stern look.

"Strom... We can do this!" I doubted that chance of success. But I didn't want to ruin her confidence. I nodded to her in response. We turned to face Crimson. I held my blade forward, gripping the handle with both hands.

"You really want to fight again, huh? Fine by me." Crimson spread his legs apart, getting ready for a fight. However, Celeste made the first move. She dashed over to him at a lightning fast speed, a quick attack of some sort. She repeatedly dashed to his sides to land swipe after swipe on him, while I began circling around to get behind. Crimson seemed unfazed by Celeste's attacks. After landing a few more hits-

"Gah!" Crimson grabbed her by the tail.

"Were those supposed to hurt? I barely felt a scratch!" He gave a light laugh at her vain attack. My turn! I dashed up behind him and leaped into the air.

"Take this!" I swung my blade down, slashing across his back. But when I looked up... it barely cut through his skin. Crimson turned around and stared me down.

"What? A sword? You must be joking. Do you really think you can kill me with that puny knife of yours?" He scoffed again at my weak attack.

"Damn..." I raised my sword again, and leaped for his arms. Maybe I could cut at his arms to let go of Celeste. However, despite my speed, Crimson raised his hand and shoved me backwards. I fell back on the grass, landing roughly on my tail.

"You pathetic little- Agh!" Crimson let go of Celeste's tail as she bit his opposite hand. I could see rage begin to flare up in him now. He raised his other hand and smacked Celeste away. She took a much harder hit than I did, rolling quite a long distance along the ground before stopping.

… She didn't move.

"Tch. How weak..."

"C-Celeste..." I started walking towards her- wait. Why do I care? With her out, the situation became grim enough as it is. I should run while I still have the chance. I began thinking about how I could run around Crimson to get out of here. But my eyes kept glancing over at Celeste... Why can't I stop thinking about her!? Gah! Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she really was being nice to me. Maybe it's because she has an important role as the leader of a rescue team, and taking care of Paradise. Or maybe it's because she gave me that spark of hope. I don't know what the reason is, but I wanted to keep fighting. I wanted to help her. For _some_ reason. I drew my blade towards Crimson again.

"Really? Again? Haven't you learned by now? You're on the losing side of this fight! And I don't want to fight you!" My eyes widened.

"W-What!?"

"Look kid," Crimson seemed to relax himself. "I know you're a new face. I'm guessing they asked you to help out? And I don't like having pointless battles. So tell ya' what, I'll let you walk away right now with no issues." This is... he's giving me a way out? No... No! What the hell? I've been in this situation before! To think I doubted help from Celeste... and now here I was being offered something from this bastard, who's been attacking innocent Pokemon and wants to destroy Paradise. And he thinks I'm going to take it? Screw that! Celeste actually cared. She went out of her way to ask for my help. She really wanted me to... be her friend...

"If I ran now, I'd only be a coward..." I spoke softly. I raised my sword again. "I won't let someone as evil as you walk this world!" Crimson gave an annoyed sigh.

"Well, it's not like I didn't try. This is your death wish, then," he got into a battle stance again, this time tilting his head up a bit. What was he–? A second later, a long stream fire erupted straight out from his mouth. I attempted to roll but-

"Ack!" My damn tail! The whole thing lit up in flames! The immediate pain from the burns caused me to tumble to the ground. I frantically began rolling around in hopes the fire would go out. A cooling relief came over my tail a few seconds later. I stopped and sat up, holding my leafy tail in my hands. The tips of the leaf were singed off, with the rest burnt black. It was here I began feeling weak. I stood up, stumbling from the pain and lost of energy.

"I don't know what you're doing kid, but you know you're not going to win. Just give up already!" Crimson roared again, his enraged eyes piercing my weak body.

I glanced over at Celeste and the rest of her team. They were still out of commission. I'm just about at my limit, too. Should I... give up? Strangely, I thought about Celeste again. Trying to get those guys together to make a rescue team... and to make this Paradise, I'm sure it wasn't easy. I can only imagine how much she sacrificed for all of this. Crimson said he was going to destroy Paradise. If I give up now, all of Celeste's hard work would be destroyed. Another story of the weak and innocent being attacked by others. I... I'm so sick of seeing this happen. I'm tired of being in this world where the good can't triumph evil.

I squeezed my blade in my hands and looked up at the sky. To any Legend out there that's watching, I will once again ask, why? Why are you letting this happen? I guess it doesn't matter to them. Everything falls on us. But I can't accept this fate.

"I won't let our world succumb to darkness..." I said aloud. Crimson tilted his head in confusion. I stared at my blade. "I'm not going to let Paradise fall," I raised my sword to the sky. "I refuse to give up!"

Then... there was a blinding light. I held up my arm to cover my eyes. Once they adjusted, I looked up. An omniscient blue aura was blazing off the sword.

"W-What is that?" Crimson squinted at the light, too. He seemed nervous.

A surge of power began to flow through me. I... don't know what's happening. I instinctively took a deep breath and gripped my sword with both hands.

And then there was a voice.

 _"The wheel of fate is turning."_

Who said that? Whatever, that doesn't matter right now. I just need to stop Crimson. With this rush of power, my muscles relaxed, and I calmed myself. It all felt so natural to me. However, Crimson held his ground.

"You're stupid if you think a little light show is going to stop me!" He raised his head again, preparing another burst of fire. I spread my legs to ready myself.

Crimson lowered his head, opened his mouth, and unleashed his scorching fire. I dashed into the rolling flames.

 _Shing!_

In an instant, I had lunged through Crimson. I turned around and faced him. He stood still before stumbling to the ground, breathing heavily. He looked over towards me.

"How the hell did you-?" He stopped to cough up blood. I could now see a giant slash across his wings and chest. Blood began to seep from the cuts. Finally did some damage.

"Ah..." I gasped. W-What!? The aura faded from the sword. The power that I felt all over my body immediately faded, and my body succumbed to fatigue. My head felt heavy, and I collapsed to the ground. Why am I so... tired...

"Hm... Even with all that power, it was too much for you to handle," Crimson smirked. He stood up. Guess that cut I put through him wasn't enough. Dammit... "I'll make sure you pay for that." Crimson began walking over to me. My eyes grew heavy and my vision blurred. I can't... do anything. All I could see was Crimson's shadow approach me. Heh... at least I tried.

As my eyes fell close and my senses shut down, I saw four other shadows leap towards Crimson.

* * *

 **Hello there. All chapters up to this point were all pre-written. I just uploaded them over the course of a few days so people would be able to catch up. But this also means that I have nothing done for the rest of the story (besides an outline of the events). So expect the next chapter to take much longer to come out. Sorry~**


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